Thank you, Mini Oven, I really enjoyed both videos. I love watching Julia Child's curiosity and child-like sense of wonder at the process. I have no words of wisdom on the cumin question, but it's interesting that it also pops up in an old and wonderful French bread recipe by Madeleine Kamen that I've had in my stash for probably 30 years. I haven't made that one in a while but have now pulled it out and put it into the pile of future projects!

Cumin is so pungent, I'd be afraid it would impart its flavor and aroma to the finished bread, not good for a bread that isn't supposed to taste or smell of cumin. It does make a nice, bubbly starter, though.

How can Joe Ortiz be much of a sourdough baker and not know that the microorganisms are in the flour and not in the air?

whole grains, whole cumin seeds also have yeasts and bacteria on them. Anti-microbial properties wouldn't be too good when that is what your are trying to grow:-) It is a very tiny amount of cumin and is only used once in the process and not for maintenance. I have used this method several times now and it always works.

Cumin is greater quantities is used in breads all the time, For years i put some in every one of mime to make them taste better. I got the idea from Clayton's Complete Book of Breads. You can't really taste is but it does lend a deeper more earthy flavor that so many balers try to get into their breads.

Until scientists ruined it for bakers everywhere, most everyone thought that they captured wild yeast from the air with their SD. Even great bread bakers like Joe Ortiz :-) I remember my first SD culture was started with milk, whole rye and water. The instructions said to leave the container uncovered so that the natural yeast can get in - 1973. How smart we have managed to get since then thanks to scientists who check these things out.

you would not be able to pick out the bread with cumin in it if you had 3 to choose from because there is no cumin flavor or smell since the amount is so small. It just makes the bread taste better,with a deeper earthy flavor is all. Indians don't put cumin in naan either SFSD can have cumin in it too. I made it that way for years and still do on occasion ....as do others. Cardamon is a different story though. Horrible in bread but Scandinavians love it since they were raised on it - an acquired taste.

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